Goa to host Butterfly UTT Season 7 as Dempo Goa Challengers eye third title

Goa to host Butterfly UTT Season 7 as Dempo Goa Challengers eye third title

Panaji, Goa, June 04, 2026: Having firmly established itself as one of India’s premier sporting destinations by hosting several international events, Goa is once again ready to welcome world-class table tennis. After making history by hosting India’s first-ever WTT event in 2023, the state now gears up for another marquee competition as Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 powered by ChatGPT commences at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium from July 9 to 26, 2026.

Over 18 days, the country’s finest paddlers and some of the world’s best table tennis stars will converge in Goa for India’s premier professional table tennis league. With Goa providing the perfect backdrop, seven franchises will engage in high-octane table tennis action as they compete for the coveted Butterfly UTT title. Representing the home fans, Dempo Goa Challengers enter Season 7 as the league’s only two-time champions, having lifted the trophy in 2023 and 2024.

The team boasts a balanced combination of emerging Indian talent and experienced international campaigners. The Indian contingent features promising youngsters, including Syndrela Das, World No. 1 in U-17 girls’ doubles and 2026 Asian Games representative; P.B. Abhinandh, U-19 mixed doubles champion at the WTT Youth Contender Doha 2026; Divyansh Srivastava, one of India’s emerging men’s paddlers; and Ananya Chande, a triple gold medallist at the 2025 Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships.

Leading the overseas challenge will be Romanian star Bernadette Szocs, the highest-valued signing at the Butterfly UTT Season 7 auction, alongside two-time Olympian Alvaro Robles of Spain. One of the league’s most consistent overseas performers, Szocs returns for her fifth season, having featured in 53 matches across women’s singles and mixed doubles. She played a pivotal role in guiding U Mumba TT to the title last season, winning six of her seven women’s singles matches.

Speaking ahead of the season, Szocs said, “I’m excited to represent Dempo Goa Challengers for the first time this season. The franchise has built an incredible legacy in Butterfly UTT, and it’s a privilege to be part of that journey. The goal is to help the team win a third title and I’m looking forward to another exciting season.”

Season 7 features an impressive mix of Indian stars and international champions. Headlining the Indian contingent are trailblazer Manika Batra, India’s highest-ranked men’s singles player Manav Thakkar (World No. 36) and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sathiyan Gnanasekaran. They will be joined by elite overseas players from 10 countries, including World No. 24 Bernadette Szocs of Romania, Egypt’s Omar Assar, and Wales’ Anna Hursey (World No. 34).

Co-promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India, Butterfly UTT has grown into one of the world’s leading franchise-based table tennis leagues. The league will be broadcast live on the JioHotstar & Star Sports Network.

Butterfly UTT Season 7 will feature seven teams – Dempo Goa Challengers, U Mumba TT, Dabang Delhi T.T.C., PBG Pune Jaguars, HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades, Ahmedabad APL Pipers and UP Prometheans competing in a single round-robin league, with every franchise facing each other once. The top four teams will qualify for the semifinals, with the winners advancing to the final. The champions will receive ₹60 lakh in prize money, while the runners-up will earn ₹40 lakh and the remaining semifinalists will receive ₹17.5 lakh each.